Transmission



n Dec. 18, 1934.

` F'. C MOCK TRANsMrfssTow original Filed March so, 1932 Reissued Dec.` 18, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TBNSMSSIQN Frank C. Mock, Montclair, N. J., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Eclipse Aviation Corporation, East Orange, N.` J.. a corporation of New Jersey Original No. 1,920,579, dated August v1, 1933, `Serial No. 602,038, March 30, 1952. Application for reissue November Z7, 1933, Serial No. 699,994

29 Claims.

variable speed type are very desirable in auto-V 'mobile use and have been used heretofore with various degrees of success. The Igear changes in automatic transmissions are usually responsive to torque or speed or a combination of both, but in automobile use it is desirable at times to ydepart` from torque or speed control and remain in the high gear during the time the engine is operating at less than its full power.

It is obvious that if the vehicle operator is driving with closed throttle he is not'taking advantage of the full power of theengine and that, therefore, it is unnecessary to use a lower gear ratio, for if more-torque-r is desired, it can be obtained by opening the throttle instead of changing to a lower gear ratio. The vehicle is preferably operated in high gear under all conditions where the, engine is capable of propelling the vehicle in thatgear, and speedf or gear changes are not-necessary or desirable until the torque load becomes greater than the torque delivered by the engine at wide open throttle. In

the present invention, the engine suction is used to increase the capacity of ahigh gear clutch at` closed throttle positions whereby the clutch capacity is-increased and the tendency toward gear changes is retarded at closed or partiallyl closed throttle positions.

An important object of the invention is to provide a suction control of a speed or torque responsive automatic transmission mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to increase the tendency of the transmission mechanism to.

remainin high gear when the engine throttle is closed'.

Another object of the invention is to providea transmission with a friction clutch that is responsive to the driven ,shaft speed which, in turn, is controlled by engine maniiold suction.

Another object ci the invention is to provide a .transmission that is responsive to load, speed and engine suction, any one di which is effective to control the point at which gear changes Vare automatically made.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description, in connection with which a preferred embodi ment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic view illustratingthe manner in` which the automatic transmission is controlled by the engine suction;

' the clutch disengaged.

the-driving force is transmitted through Fig. 2 is a longitudinal improved transmission; and

Fig. 3T is a sectionalyiew taken in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of Fig. 2, illustrating the overrunning` clutch used in the second speed gear.

In the drawing, 10 is the transmission housing within which is rotatably mounted a driving shaft Il1 and which is supported therein by bearing .12.

Driving shaft 11 is provided with an extension 13 drivably connected thereto by pin 14 and is supported in driven shaft 16 by bearing 17. Extension 13 isk rotatable within a coupler '18 by means of bearing 19, and the coupler 18 has a splined connection with sleeve 21.that is rotatably ving plate 31 to directly connect the driving shaft l1 with the clutch housing that is securedto the driven sleeve 21. i f

Second speed gear 32, which has its teeth normally meshing with countershait gear 33, is connected with an associated member 34' by means of an overrunning roller clutch having rollers 36 which are wedged into engagement with hub 34, as illustratedI inp 3. The operation of the overrunning -clutch is `we1i known in the art and need not be further described, except to say that sectional view'of the y hub 34 may freely rotate in a clockwise direction with respect to the gear 32 but may be driven thereby in the same direction whengear 32 be comes the driving member. Hub 34 is provided with a coarsely threaded portion 3'? having threaded engagement with a nut 38 slidably splined to the driven sleeve 21, and nut 38 is adapted to be moved toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, upon an increase of the driver?. shaft load. Movement of vnut 38 toward the lei't at some predetermined load overcomes the spring 39 and forces collar 41 against portion 42 oi weights 27 and urges them tc their inner position, whereby the pressurejon the clutch plates is relieved and Upon clutch fisengogem ment, `the drive is assumed by the gear-32 and.

sii, 33 and 32 and through the overrunning ..-nth to hub 34 and nut 38, the latter, as before stated., being splined to the driven sleeve 2i.. A slidable gear 46 is mounted upon driven shaft 16 by splinesl 47, which is adapted to assume four positions, the neutral position being shown in Fig. 2 whereby there is no connectionA between the driven sleeve 2l. and the driven shaft lo. .Movement of gear 46 toward' the left causes teeth 48 to engage teeth 49 of thecoupler 18, whereby rotation of driving sleeve 21 may be transmitted to ther driven shaft 16, and further movement of gear 46 toward the left causes teeth 48 to mesh with teeth 5.1 of the second speed gear 32 and enable the operator to directly connect driven shaft 16 to the driving shaft 11 around the overrunning clutch and permit the engine to be used as a brake in descending steep grades.

Movement of gear 46 toward the right causeseits teeth to engage Vwith idler gear 52 FWhich is in constant mesh with countershaft gear 53 and enables driven shaft 16 to be turned in the opposite,V direction` for reversing Ythe Amovement of the vehicle, upon which the transmission is intended to be used. l i

Resilient backing plate 31 is preferably formed in two portions normally urged apart by a-plurality of `springs 54 coacting between the spring holding member 5S and the main portion, of the plate 31 for urging the latter in the direction of the weights 27, the main portion of the plate being movable with respect tothe. member 56 until the opposed edges 57 and. 58 abut and limit the resilient movement. Clutch plates 23y and 24, as well as backing plate 31, are movable as a whole within the clutchhousing26; movement toward the right beingrestricted by the shoulder f 59 and movement toward the left being restricted by adjustable cap member 61.

A yoke lever 62 normally contacts the thrust bearing of the backing plate through an openig 63 in the cap member, which lever is pivotally mounted on the transmission housing 10 at 64 and has its upper -end connected to a resilient bellows 66 by alink 67. Bellows 66 is preferably pivotally supported at one end on a fixed part of the vehicle, such as frame 68, and is adaptedfto be `adjustable with respect thereto by a threaded member 69, the bellows being normally extended by a spring 71 and having its interior connected with the engine manifold 72 by a conduit 73.,

' which is preferably connected to the manifold at a point above the throttle 74 Iwhich is normally controlled by the `accelerator pedal 76, the arrangement beingsuch that when bellows 66 is collapsed by suction from the engine an increased pressure is placed 'upon the pressure plate3l to urge it toward the weights 27.

In the operation of the vehicle, assuming that it is desired to moveiin a forward direction, gear A 48 is moved from its neutral position, as shown in Fig. 2, toward the left `until teeth 48 and teeth 49 are in mesh./ In this position of rthe transmission, assuming that the vehicle is stationary and is being'started from a position of rest', power the housing 26 which is secured to the driven sleeve 21.` The collar 41 is 'limited in its movement toward'the riglit by hub 34 and therefore acts as a stop to limit the maximum outward' movement of weights 27. As.b gear 32 will vthen be jdrivenat a slower` speed than its hub 34,V the -:overl'imning clutch will come into action and the shaft y16 will be. rotated at engine shaft speed.

If the load upon the driven shaft should increase beyond a predetermined point, the nut 38 willy be again' moved ytoward the left to throw` out `ther clutch and permit the second speed gear to take` up the drive, v a

The operation above described is known to those skilledin the art, but it will be noted that in the present application the backing plate 31 is movable in accord with engine suction and that as the suction increases, the pressure on the clutch plates is increased.`

Under certain conditions with closedl throttle I and ylow clutch speeds the entire'clutch will be i moved toward the right until the pressure plate 29 coacts with the clutchhousing 26 and the plates will be pressed into engagement by suction Within the intake manifold. With this arrangement of the parts, under high suction conditions the capacity of the clutch is increased beyond that which it would have if it were effected vonly by speed and torque, and there will, be less tendency for the transmission to shift into the second gear position. Under Wide open throttlel conditions, the same force produced by torque and. speed will overcome the force applied lby manifold suction and move the clutch pack toward the left, until thevmembe'r 56 of the backing plate contacts with adjustable cap 6l, and under these conditions the speed changes will be responsiveto torque and speed only and will not be affected bymino'r changes in the manifold suction. If desired, the vacuum controlled lever 62 may beV arranged to act on the pressure plates '23-24 instead,l of the backing plate 3l, but the actuation through 'the backing to be the better arrangement. e While a"preferred embodiment ofthe invenplate is thought tion has "been illustrated and .described, it is c understood" that this showing and description are illustrative only and that the invention is not regarded as limited to the formshown and described, or otherwise, except-bythe terms of the following claimsz' r What is claimed is: 1. In a devicev of the character described, a driving shaft, a driven shaftja clutch fox'I connecting the shafts, vacuum means for controlling the clutch, speedresponsive means for controlling rthe clutch, torque responsive means for'controllingvnthe clutch, and means for connecting the shafts Aaround the clutch thereof. f

2. In a device of theY character described, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a clutch for connecting the shafts, vacuumv means for controlling the clutch, torque responsive means i'or` controlling the clutch-and meansfor connecting the shafts Y upon disengagement around the-clutch upon disengagement thereof.

`3. In a device of the character4 described, a

vdriving shaft, a driven shaft, a clutch for connecting the shafts, vacuum means for controlling f the clutch, speed responsive means for controlling the clutch, and-means for connecting the shafts around the clutch-upon `disengagement thereof. i

4. In a device of the .character described, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a clutch for connecting the shafts,.vacuui'n means for controlling the clutch, speed responsive means for controlling the clutch,v torque responsive meansfor controlling the clutch, and gear means including an overrunning clutch for i connecting the shafts around thelclutch. v

5. In a device of the character described, an` l 75 intake' manifold and a throttle therefor, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, means for directly connecting 'the shafts, ge`ar means 'for indirectly connecting the shafts, said direct connecting means -including afriction clutch, load responsive means for controlling the clutch, and manifold vacuum actuated means for controlling the clutch.

6. In a device of the character described, an intake manifold and a throttle therefor, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, means for directly connecting the shafts, gear means for indirectly connecting the shafts, said direct connecting means including a friction clutch, loadk and speed re-E sponsive means for controlling the clutch, and vacuum actuated means for controlling the clutch.

7. In a device of the character described, an intake manifold and a throttle therefor, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, means for directly connecting the shafts, gear means for indirectly connecting the shafts, said direct connecting means including a friction clutch, load responsive means for` controlling the clutch, a movable backing v plate for the clutch, and manifold vacuum actuated means for moving the backing plate.

8.V In a device of the character described, an intake manifold and a throttle therefor, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, means for directly connecting the shafts, gear means for indirectly connecting the shafts, said direct connectingmeans including a friction clutch, load responsivek means for controlling the clu'tch, a movable backing plate for the clutch, and vacuum actuated means -arranged to move the backing plate toward the clutch when the manifold suction is increased.

9. In a device ofthe character described', an engine manifold and a throttle therefor, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a friction clutch for connecting the shafts, centrifugal means for engaging the clutch, mea-ns for connecting the shafts around the clutch upon disengagement thereof, and vacuum means operated by the suction above the throttle for assisting the action of the centrifugal means.

10. In-a device of the character described, an

engine manifold and a throttle therefor, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a friction clutch for connecting the shafts, centrifugal means for engaging the clutch, means for connecting the shafts'around the clutch upon disengagement thereof, and vacnum actuated means for engaging the clutch when the manifold suction -above the throttle is increased, to a Vpredetermined point.

11. In a device of the character described, an engine manifold and a throttle therefor, a driving shaft, a drivenshaft. a friction clutch vfor connecting the shafts, centrifugal means for engaging the clutch, means for connecting the shafts around the clutch upondisengagement thereof, a movable backing plate for the clutch, and mean`s actuated by the manifold suction above the throttle for moving the backing plate.

12. In a device of the character described, an engine manifold and a throttle therefor, a' driving shaft, a driven shaft, a friction clutch for connecting the shafts, centrifugal means for enigaging the clutch, means for connecting the shafts aroundy the clutch upon disengagement thereof, a movable backing plate for the clutch,

and means actuated by the manifold suction above the throttle, arrangedto move the backing plate toward the clutch when the suction is increased.

13, In a device of the character described, an engine intake manifold and a throttle therefor, a driving member, a driven member, a friction clutch for connectingthe shafts including axially movable plates operatively lconnected to the driving and driven members respectively, said clutch being engaged on one side by a member movable byv-manifold vacuum and onthe other side by a speed responsive member, means for connecting the' driving and. driven vmembers around the clutch, and means for limiting the axial movement of the plates in either direction. f

14. In a device of the character described, an

engine intake manifold and a throttle therefor, a driving member, a driven member, a friction clutch for connecting the shafts including axial- 1y movable plates operatively connected to the driving and driven members respectively, said clutchA being engaged on one side by a member movable by manifold vacuum and on the other side by a speed responsive member, means for connecting the driving and driven members around the clutch, means for limiting the axial movement of the plates inI either direction, and said vacuum actuated member being adapted to move the clutch into greater frictional contact when the suction is increased.

15. In -a device of the character described, an engine intake manifold and a throttle therefor, a driving member, a driven member, a friction clutch for connecting the shafts including axially movable plates operatively connected to the driving anddriven members respectively, said clutch being engaged on one s ide by a member movable by manifold vacuum and on the other side by 'a speed responsive member, means for connecting the drivingand driven members around the clutch, means for limiting the axial 'movement of the plates4 in either direction, and

said vacuum actuated member being adapted `to oppose movement of the plates by the sp'eed responsive means and overcome the same under substantially closed throttleconditions, whereby the plates are frictionally clamped between the vacuum actuated member and the means limiting the axial movement of the plates. j

16. In a vdevice ofthe character described, an engine intake manifold anda throttle therefor,

a driving member, a driven member, a friction clutch for connecting the shafts including axialf-iy l' driving member, a.r driven member, a friction.

clutch for connecting the shafts including axially movable plates operatively connected to the driving and driven` members respectively, said clutch being engaged on one side by a member movable by manifold vacuum and on the other side by a speed responsive member, means for connecting the driving and driven members around the clutch, means for limiting the axial movement of the plates in eitherdirection, and torque responsive means for decreasing the effect of thespeed responsive member as the load' on the driven member is increased.

18. In a device ofthe character described, an engine manifold having a throttle, a driving member, a driven member, a friction clutch for directly connecting the shafts including axially movable plates operatively connected to the driving and driven members respectively, said clutch plates being engaged `on one side by a speed reponsive memberrotatable with .thedriven shaft and on the'opposite side by a resilient backing plate, and a manifold vacuum actuated device arrangedto resist movement of the backingplate. i9. In a device of the character described, an engine manifold having 'a throttle, a driving member, a driven member, a friction clutch for directly connecting the shafts including axially movable plates operatively connected to the d riving and driven members respectively, said Iclutch being engaged on one side by a speed responsive member rotatable with the driven shaft and on the opposite side by a resilient backing plate, a

.vacuum actuated device arranged to resist movement of the backing plate, and `torque responsive means for controlling the effect of the speed re. sponsive means.

20. I n a device of the character described, an

engine manifold having a' throttle, a driving.

` member, 'a driven member, va friction clutch for vacuum actuated `device arranged to resist movedirectly connecting the shafts including axially movable plates operatively connected to the drive ing and driven members respectively, said. clutch being engaged on one side by a speed responsive member rotatable with the driven shaft and on th opposite side by a resilient backing plate, a

ment of the backing plate, and torque responsive means adapted to decrease the effect of the speed responsive means when the `driven shaft load is increased.

21. In a device of the charactr described, an

engine manifoldhaving a throttle, a driving member, a driven member, a friction clutch for directly connecting the shafts including axially movable plates operatively' connected to the driv-l ing and driven members respectively, said clutch being engaged on one side b'y a speed responsive :member rotatable with the driven shaft and 'on the opposite side by a resilient backing-plate, a stop for limiting movement of the plates toward the speed responsive member, and a vacuum actuated device arranged to resist movement of the backing plate in a manner to increasel the pressure on the backing plate'as the suction above Vthe throttle is increased. y

22. In a` device of thecharacter described, an engine manifold having a throttle, ay driving shaft, a driven shaft, a'bodilymovable friction clutch for directly connecting and disconnecting the shafts, other means vfor connecting the shafts when the clutch is disengaged, speed actuated means for controlling thel clutch, means for limiting clutch movement toward the speed actuat-v ated means, and vacuum actuated means in constant communication with the ,manifold above the throttle for engaging the clutch by clamping the sameagainst the limiting means under conditions of high manifold suctions and low speeds of the .speed actuated means. A

23. In a transmission mechanism for a vehicle having an engine with an intake manifold, the combination of driving and driven shafts, a

clutch having friction Ysurfaces for connecting the shafts, speed responsive means rotatable with the clutch and arranged to force the surfaces into contact for increasing the torque capacity of the clutch athigh speeds. and manifoldpressure acmanifold and operableon the clutch for increas` ing the clutch capacity at decreased manifold pressure. i

24. In a transmission mechanism for a vehicle having an engine with a manifold,the combination of a driving shaft,` a driven shaft, a friction clutch for connecting the shafts, centrifugal weights pivotally mounted on the clutch for increasing ythe clutch capacity as the speed is increased, a portion of said clutch being bodilymovable to vary the effect of the weights, and .manifold pressure operated means in constant communication with the manifold for controlling the bodily movement of the clutch in accordance withl variations in manifold pressure.

25. In a transmission 'mechanism for a vehicle having an engine, the combinationpof a driving shaft, adriven shaft, a'friction clutch for ecnnecting the shafts, centrifugal Weights pivotally mounted on the clutch for controlling the clutch toincrease its capacity at high speeds, and means operated from the engine and in accordance changes in engine pressures to increase the clutch capacity at low clutch speeds.

26. In. a transmission mechanism for a ve-v hicle having an engine, the ycombination of a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a friction clutch for connecting the shafts, centrifugal weights' having an engine with a manifold, a driving shaft,

a driven shaft, a frictionclutch for connecting the shafts, centrifugal weights rotatable with the clutch for controlling the clutch to increase the clutch capacity at highspeeds, means including a movable member operable on the friction members of the clutch to increase the clutch capacity1 at low speeds, a device connected to the engine manifold and operated by manifold pressure, and a linkage operably connecting the device and the movable member, said linkage being arranged to move the clutch toward an engaged position by a rmanifold pressure less than' atmospheric pressure.

28. In a transmission mechanism for a vehicle having an engine with a manifold and a speed controlling throttle therein wherebyv the manifold pressure is reduced at low engine speeds, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, gear 4means for connecting the shaftsha friction clutch for controlling the operation of the gear means, centrifugal weights pi'votally mounted on the clutch for controlling the clutch, and manifold pressure controlled means operative on the" clutch for augmenting the effect of the weights to increase the clutch capacity at low engine speeds.

29. In a transmission mechanism for a vehicle having an engine with a manifold, a driving `clutch capacity and augment the effect of the speed responsive means.

FRANK C. MOCK. 

